The leerfish or garrick (Lichia amia) is a species of marine fish in the family Carangidae.

They inhabit the coastal wave zone where they form small shoals to hunt other smaller fish, favouring mullets.

[5] Phylogenetic evidence suggests that a deep genetic divergence exists between leerfish populations in South Africa and Angola, likely divided by the Benguela Current.

[6] An extinct relative, Lichia veronensis Bannikov, 1990, is known from the Early Eocene-aged Monte Bolca site of Italy, suggesting that the genus has inhabited its present range for nearly 50 million years.

This suggests that the extant L. amia must have diverged from its extinct relatives prior to this point, and that pockets of ocean likely persisted in the Mediterranean during this period of time.